A test of loyalty
by Stacey James
Summary: In Mexico pre season 3, Ramon tests Jack's loyalty. I know I keep starting things and not finishing them - I'll try harder - bear with me
1. Default Chapter

Adam moved quickly across the office to Chase's desk, where Tony was standing with a wad of papers in his hand.

'I think you two should listen to this – Ramon in Mexico' he said and, seeing that Tony wasn't arguing, he clicked a couple of keys on Chase's computer. Tony and Chase found they were listening to a conversation between Ramon and an unknown man.

'.... He'll be carrying the drugs for Hector. Catch him and interrogate him. He'll assume you're with the Rodriguez Cartel. Let's see how loyal our Jack really is.'

'You don't still think he's a cop?' the other voice asked

'Cop. No. Shit, he shoots up daily. He's killed for me several times. He's no cop. But I don't trust him. He hasn't grown up with this life. He doesn't know where our loyalties lie. Break him and then we'll know who he really is.'

'How long do we have?'

About an hour, then I'll come in with Hector. An hour should be enough. He's tough enough here – but when he's out on his own? That's a different thing Carlos. Then we'll see how quickly he'll change sides. I think he'll just want out of this when he sees the pain it can bring him. He'll work out he can switch sides, and earn his money there. You'll be representing another cartel – he'll have nothing to lose – except the pain. He'll crack'

'He might be scared of what you'd do to him when you found out' Carlos suggested

'I don't think that fear will be enough when he's hurting,' Ramon replied.

'How far do you want me to go Ramon? If he doesn't break – isn't he still useful to you?'

'Yeah, I mean don't kill him or anything, but a couple of broken bones for instance, we could cope with that. Just make sure a doctor could put him back together again.'

'When you and Hector turn up – what then? Do we let him know it was a set up?

'Yeah, why not?' If you haven't broken him – it'll just be like one of our punishment beatings – he'll think of it as a test. And I'll reward him. If you have broken him – I'll kill him'


	2. Doing nothing

Tony and Chase looked at each other.

'We don't know when this is gonna go down' Chase observed. 'When is Jack due to make contact again?'

'Two days' Tony said, looking thoughtful. 'If it happens before then, there's nothing we can do.'

'You'll just let it happen? Adam asked, surprised. 'I mean – never mind Jack - this could bring down the whole mission. Jack breaks. Jack dies. End of story'

'Look, Adam, I don't need you to spell it out for me.' Tony responded, the irritation quite evident in his voice, 'I hope it doesn't go down until I've had a chance to speak to Jack. That way he can make his own decision about what do. But if it happens sooner than that – then there isn't anything I can do. If I send another agent in to warn Jack, the mission is jeopardised.'

Tony turned his head slightly to address his final remarks to Chase. 'And honestly – do you think it would make any real difference? Jack will go through with it anyway. Look what he's been through already. It'll all be for nothing if he gives in to this. He'll tough it out.'

'Yeah, but this is a bit different Tony', Chase responded, 'If Jack really thinks he's been taken by another Cartel and if he thinks they're gonna kill him...' he hesitated slightly, '... or mutilate him – or whatever...' Chase looked distracted as he considered what Jack might have to go through, 'doesn't it make sense for him to change sides?'

Tony was quick to reply, 'Obviously I know what you mean but there are too many 'ifs' in that equation, Chase. _If_ Jack believes it's another Cartel.... Well, maybe he'll believe it, but not necessarily. He knows how twisted Ramon is. He's got first hand experience of that already. And he knows Ramon doesn't trust him fully. Jack might be expecting a test of loyalty. A set up has to be a possibility ... and _if_ he thinks they're really going to kill him – or whatever ...' Tony decided not to dwell on the alternatives, 'well, Jack's been interrogated before. He'll have to judge how serious he thinks they are.'

Neither Chase nor Adam responded. It was clear to them both that Tony was right. They could only hope that Jack made contact before Ramon put his plan into action.

'Let me know if you pick up anything else important Adam', Tony said, shuffling papers together and preparing to move back to his office. 'Actually...' he turned back, '...get Gael to check the camera feed from now on. We might get a heads up on the timing if we see Ramon or Hector briefing a group of new faces. They've got to be new faces or Jack would know them. And when Michelle and Chloe get back, brief them on the situation. Oh – and this has to stay between us five,' he looked across at Kim, 'No reason to worry people unnecessarily - and we want to be absolutely sure that no one's gonna try to contact Jack.'


	3. Ramon can wait

Jack picked up his rifle and walked back across the hard ground to resume his post guarding the entrance to the ranch. The air was hot and humid and he felt uneasy. He had seen the looks passed between Hector and Ramon over lunch, and wondered what was going on. Something they didn't want him to know about – that much was certain. Just three weeks previously he had watched them exchange similar looks and that night he had been pulled from his bed and beaten unconscious. Payback for staring at Claudia, Hector had explained the next day. Payback for fucking Claudia ... well that could be a lot worse, Jack thought, aware that the fear of an imminent reprisal was giving rise to a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He ran his fingers through his hair and stared into the distance, taking a deep breath and exhaling noisily. But surely Hector wouldn't wait if he knew about him and Claudia. Hector's temper was too fiery. He'd want vengeance immediately. Well, he wouldn't kill Jack quickly, of course, but he wouldn't be able to wait before he attacked him. Jack massaged his forehead thoughtfully, as if attempting to rub away the threat of violence that now hung over him every day.

Hector wouldn't wait. Ramon could wait though. He knew the value of keeping his prey waiting, wondering what was to come – and when it would be. He liked to watch the slow build up of fear as knowledge dawned that Ramon would have his revenge. And he was unpredictable with his punishments. You never knew how bad it would be, or how long it would last. And while you were waiting, you'd spend long balmy evenings drinking with the boys and you'd hear stories of what he'd done to others. How they had screamed in agony, or begged for mercy. And how, sometimes, Ramon had killed them anyway, exasperated by their cowardly cries. Ramon had waited three days before exacting a punishment from Jack for disrespect. Jack drew his lips together angrily as he looked at the blistering on the inside of his right arm and remembered the night it was his turn to suffer for injuring Ramon's pride.

It was proving very difficult to earn Ramon's trust. If he was too respectful, Ramon appeared to doubt Jack's credentials. A man of Jack's background, a man who had led Delta teams and at the same time managed to hijack money to fund his drug habit; that sort of man should have a mind of his own. But when Jack took to questioning Ramon's judgement ... well, that had brought painful consequences. And even then, Jack hadn't been sure how he should act. To try to take the punishment in silence, that had seemed the safest option. No chance then of being killed as a coward. But Jack's stoicism appeared to have riled Ramon more. Since then, there'd been frequent comments: 'Think you're better than us do you Jack?' 'Ah yes big macho Jack, what can I do for you?' and 'I can make you scream, Jack, you know that I can' and, yes, Jack didn't doubt that he could, and didn't doubt that one day he would. And since he'd started sleeping with Claudia he'd wondered how long he could postpone that day.

But he'd had time now, to think. If he had another punishment coming, it had to be from Ramon. Therefore, it had nothing to do with Claudia. But he had been careful around Ramon since that night. Very careful, never disrespectful, but still thinking independently. He'd begun to think maybe he was getting the balance right. He could make suggestions but only if he made them to Ramon out of hearing of the other men – and only if he timed it right. He had to make suggestions early, so that the men, and often Ramon himself, thought the good ideas were Ramon's.

So what was this all about? If he couldn't work out what he'd done, he couldn't even judge what the reprisal might be. He felt totally alone then. This was the worst part about being undercover. Nobody to throw ideas at. Nobody to share the fear - not that he was good at sharing. He smiled to himself as he realised how surprised Tony and Chase would be if he rang to share his troubles. But perhaps he should ring Tony? For what though? There was very little chance that Tony would know what Ramon had planned. Knowing what his crime was – that would be a relief of sorts – better than ignorance – but it wouldn't lessen the pain of Ramon's twisted justice so it was worthless information, wasn't it?


	4. Ready for Jack

'Almeida' Tony's voice betrayed the agitation he had felt since he'd listened to the tape of Ramon's voice the previous afternoon. Every time he picked up the phone he thought it might be Jack. He wished it were Jack. He'd been standing by the phone wondering how bad he was going to feel if Jack was deceived by Ramon's plan...if Jack thought changing sides might save his life... He rubbed his right eye with the knuckle of his right hand. Shit. The longer he had to think about it, the more drawn he was to Chase's original logic.

'Yeah, Tony'. It wasn't Jack. It was Gael's voice. 'The camera in the barn picked up some action. Some guys preparing some stuff...'

'Would you like to be more specific Gael?' Tony interrupted, irritated by the delay.

'Yeah, of course, sorry', Gael continued, 'some guys – new faces – checking the ropes and cuffs and stuff in the barn. Looks like they might be getting ready for Jack.'

There was a brief silence and the phrase 'getting ready for Jack' hung in the air.

'In the barn? That's unlikely, surely,' Tony commented, 'it'd be obvious to Jack what was going on.

'Not necessarily Tony. I thought that at first. But if he were blindfolded when they brought him in... Jack's never seen the inside of the barn has he? I mean we told him what they did in there. But he's not seen it. It could be any barn anywhere in Mexico.'

'OK, thanks Gael'

Tony put down the phone and then picked it up again and rang Michelle's extension.

'Can you come up?' He asked simply and then replaced the receiver.

Michelle left her desk and climbed the stairs to Tony's office.

'What is it Tony?' She asked as she entered the room. Her concern was evident in her eyes. He loved that about her. She was always emotionally connected, yet when she made decisions she could be coolly detached. Tony wondered if she wasn't better at that than him.

'Gael rang. They seem to be preparing the barn – we think for Jack. If they blindfolded him...'

'..he wouldn't know where he was.' Michelle finished the sentence for him. _Or knocked him out_, Michelle thought but could see no point in saying it. 'So what are you thinking Tony?'

'We can set up Chase with a small team, just a few miles away. If we think they're gonna kill him – well, we might get there on time. Probably we wouldn't because we can't get close enough to run the risk of being spotted – but we'd be doing something, Michelle.' Tony paused to assess Michelle's reaction.

'But if they went in and failed to save Jack, the whole thing could be botched.'

It'd be over anyway' Tony answered

'Yes but if Ramon and Hector die, we lose their contacts; and if they escape, we'd never be able to get near them again. Not even in a year or two. Look how much trouble Jack's had getting them to trust him. And Jack's good Tony. He's very good. You know that. There'd be no next time. We'd have to take them alive and count on breaking them.'

'Jack thinks we'd break Hector easily enough', Tony commented. 'Look Michelle, if we send a team, there is a chance that we could save Jack's life, trace the cartel contacts _and_ put Ramon and Hector away for life. If we don't send the team, Jack might die when we could have saved him – when _I_ could have saved him.'

'Yes I see that' Michelle said. 'But I can also see how difficult it's going to be to watch this unfold' she nodded at the computer screen imagining what they might see, 'knowing Chase could intervene if you just give the word. Can you do that Tony?'

'I think so, yes,' Tony said. He felt surer now. Talking to Michelle had confirmed it in his mind. Yes, he could do that. Of course he could do that. He involuntarily clenched his hand into a fist and put it to his mouth. He knew this was the right thing to do. It's what Jack would do too, he thought.

'Jack would probably do the same, Tony', Michelle said as if she were reading his mind, 'but then Jack would never intervene if it jeopardised a mission.'

Tony looked up and gave Michelle an ironic smile. Jack's notorious uncompromising attitude was something they had discussed at home. Well now he would adopt the same approach. Tony moved closer to Michelle and briefly kissed her forehead very lightly.

'Thank you' he said. 'Can you call the other three up here. We want to get Chase set up out there as soon as possible'


	5. Chase reflects

Chase felt the same as Tony. He was pleased when he heard that he was going to be doing something at last. Standing around miles from the action was not what he'd been trained for and not what he was good at. Tony had emphasised the need to stay out of the action – not to move without a direct order. But he understood the implications of going in. Hell, he'd worked with Jack often enough to know that Jack wouldn't thank him if he brought the whole operation down trying to save him. He'd seen Jack risk his own life to go back for men others might leave for dead. But he'd also seen Jack leave men behind if their rescue might jeopardize an entire operation.

'They're Special Forces, Chase – they've always known the risks. I would expect the same treatment. No one is more important than the mission. That's just the way it has to be'

Not that Jack didn't feel bad about it. Chase had watched him sitting awake most of one night after an operation where one man had been taken. He'd just stared out into the darkness, unwilling to talk about it. Jack knew only too well what awaited that soldier and knew that the chances of saving him diminished the longer he remained in enemy hands. But the mission came first. Five days later, when they'd achieved their objectives, Jack led Chase and a small rescue team back to the camp where he'd been taken. And they recovered the body. The soldier had used his cyanide capsule. Most of his bones were broken and, well, he'd had some horrible injuries. Jack carried the body back to the helicopter. He didn't say anything to any of them. What was there to say? They were all thinking the same thing – it could have been me.

So far, Chase had not worked undercover. He wondered what it would feel like. At first, he'd expected to get the Mexico job. But it was felt to be too sensitive for a first timer. And Ramon might think he was too young. Chase was younger than many of Ramon's men and Chapelle had argued that it would be difficult to get their respect. But Chase wondered now if perhaps Jack had been too good. He'd had the respect of Ramon's men almost from day one when he went in to buy the heroin. He wasn't carrying but he had easily disarmed a mugger with a knife who'd obviously mistaken Jack for an easy target. It was a simple enough move for a trained soldier, but it had looked good and Ramon's men were interested in him immediately. A heroin user with fighting skills was always going to be useful to Ramon. And since then there had been plenty of occasions for Jack to impress Ramon's men. After dinner they often issued drunken challenges, some of which the small team at CTU had watched Jack rise to. And the majority of Ramon's men seemed to like him for it. Hector seemed to like him too. He was a good fighter but he didn't talk about it. And he was on their side – that was enough for them. But it was too much for Ramon. He felt threatened by the respect which his men showed Jack. He paid Jack well and he was beginning to trust his judgement on tactical issues, but he couldn't trust him as a man – as a friend. Well now it was all or nothing, Chase thought, and typical of Ramon – a final test.


	6. Fixed

Jack looked at the trembling in his hands after he opened the heroin kit. He felt cold but he was sweating and the cramps in his stomach were becoming increasingly frequent. He knew it was only a matter of time before he threw up. It was obvious now that the drug was controlling his life yet he still found it difficult to accept that this was an addiction. He told himself it was still just a necessary part of his cover. And frankly it was still necessary. Ramon had to believe he was an addict. In the beginning, he had insisted on watching Jack shoot up because he wanted to be sure. Jack's addiction put Ramon in control; and Jack knew that Ramon was a man who needed to feel in control.

But so too was Jack. The combination of character and training had given him an authority, which at CTU he exercised cautiously but resolutely. It was a powerful weapon in his armoury. People listened to him because they knew what he was capable of. He had proven his capabilities and his integrity in the most challenging of situations. But here, in Mexico, he had to live as a different person. He told himself that he was still controlling events, waiting for the moment to strike. But while he was waiting – well, he was being controlled by Ramon and by his addiction. Ramon's reprisals scared him, and so too did the symptoms of withdrawal which were starting to dictate how he lived. He always fought the onset of withdrawal symptoms, disguising them for as long as possible when it would probably have been better for his cover to let Ramon see him when he was weak and sick and desperate for a fix. Like he was now. He groaned, partly in pain but more in anger that he had no choice but to put the needle in his arm. He put his gun down on the table next to the bed, strapped the tourniquet around his upper arm and began to pump his fist.

He felt sure that Ramon had something planned for him and that fear had been eating away at him for more than twenty-four hours. Well, at least the drug would numb the fear for a while he thought as he plunged the needle into his vein. He dropped the needle to the floor and lay back heavily on the bed letting the feeling of ecstasy wash over him and through him. His eyes were still glazed when he saw the door to his room open. Ramon walked in with Hector close behind him.

Jack struggled to sit up. The fear had certainly gone – along with his ability to concentrate, he noted as Ramon started to speak.

'Oh dear, look at our Jack now. He doesn't look very capable does he Hector?' Ramon looked at his brother and then turned back quickly to grab the front of Jack's shirt and pull him sharply off the bed. Jack landed unceremoniously in a heap on the floor. He attempted to stand up but Hector easily kicked him back down again.

'He's useless Ramon. Give the job to someone else. He can't even...'

Realising that this wasn't the beginning of a serious beating, Jack interrupted him,

'No, no, I'll be OK – Hector - Ramon - just give me a minute; please just give me a minute. I've only just fixed' he said, nodding at the needle on the floor next to him, 'just before you came in. I'll be fine in a minute. Please. Wait.'

'Stand up then Jack' Ramon said angrily, 'See if you can manage that at least'

Jack pulled himself to his feet and lent back against a solid chest of drawers. He looked Ramon in the eyes, hoping to convince him that he was fit enough to work. Now the addiction was really causing him problems. He realised this even as he struggled to concentrate. This wasn't helping his cover any more; now it was hindering his progress within the cartel. He needed to operate at a high enough level to be promoted by Ramon and Hector. Otherwise he wasn't going to get close to the contacts he needed. If he didn't convince Ramon this time, would the brothers ever give him another chance? And, shit, if he wasn't up to it this time – he'd be beaten again. And he'd deserve it. The thought made his heart sink. He wasn't undercover as a junky. He was a junky and he needed to get some control back. He pushed himself away from the chest of drawers and was pleased to find that he had regained his balance.

'I'm alright now Ramon' he said, hoping that he could convince him.

Ramon pushed him hard in the chest with the palm of his hand, but Jack stood firm. Apparently Ramon was convinced enough and Jack was relieved to hear him talk.

'OK. I've got a job for you Jack' Ramon said, 'It's straightforward enough – we need you to take some money to one of our suppliers and bring some stuff back. I want you to go because I know you won't mind trying it for us, checking that it's good shit.' He chuckled to himself. 'That is the advantage for me of employing a sad little junky like you Jack.'

Jack hung his head slightly, wounded by the truth in the words. He listened as Ramon continued,

'But this could be dangerous. We think the Rodriguez Cartel have been tracking our supply lines so just make sure they don't pick you up. If they do, you're on your own Jack.'

Hector picked up Jack's gun from the table and handed it to him. Jack took the gun and nodded slowly.

'OK', he said, 'When do I leave?'

'Now Jack' Ramon said. 'Right now. This is the address,' he explained, handing Jack a slip of paper. 'They're expecting you. Take Hector's car and check you're not followed.'

'Good luck', Hector added

Jack looked at the address and then returned the paper to Ramon. It was about an hour's drive away. Not far. He was pleased. This was the first time they had trusted him with work outside the compound. This was better than he had hoped. This explained the exchanged glances between Hector and Ramon. They had been assessing his suitability to be trusted with a real job at last. Yes, this was much better than he had hoped.


	7. Just waiting for Jack

Before Tony answered the phone to Gael he had begun to feel hopeful that Jack might call in before he was captured. Chase's team were already close to their planned base and the CTU cameras and microphones installed around the ranch had brought nothing of interest to their attention. Gael's voice punctured his optimism.

'Tony, there's more action in the barn. Looks like it is gonna go down there, and soon. Ramon's installing his own camera. He doesn't want to miss the party.'

'Shit.' Tony took a deep breath, 'OK – let the others know what you've seen. And check that Chase is in position. It looks like all we can do now is wait'

'Shit' he said to himself again when he had put down the phone. He put his head in his hands.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack set off in Hector's car. He didn't want to take any chances being followed so he didn't intend to take a straightforward route. He planned to double back on himself several times and finally to leave the car at a different address about a mile away and go by foot to the house. He had no idea how technologically capable the Rodriguez cartel might be, but this route would fool all but the most sensitive satellite set-ups.

He drove for about ninety minutes and hid the car amongst some trees. He got out of the car. He felt a lot more confident now that he was in action again. He made his way across country, staying close to the trees that edged the field, always alert for any sign of a tail. He couldn't see anybody.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Ramon pulled the phone out of his pocket as it rang, looking at the caller id. as he lifted it to his ear.

'Yes Carlos'. He listened in silence for a few seconds.

'What do you mean you can't find him? You even have the address he's going to. What more do you need for Christ sake? You stupid shit – Don's not even expecting him. I'll ring Don now – let him know what's going down. You'll have to get Jack before he gets back here. Don't make any mistakes this time Carlos'

'Fuck' he said as he dialled Don's number. Hector looked at him enquiringly.

'Don – it's Ramon'

'Yeah, yeah great. Listen to me carefully Don. One of my men is coming to you with money. Jack Bauer. He's probably already on your land. He's my best man. You won't see him until he's on top of you. Yeah. He's expecting to be given a bag of shit. Let him try the stuff. He thinks it's the sample for a big deal.'

'Just do it Don. You're not in any danger'

Ramon put the phone down angrily.

'Your best man?' Hector asked

'Until I know otherwise' Ramon said

--------------------------------------------

Jack got back into the car with the heroin. He didn't start off straight away. That had been a strange encounter. Granted he had surprised the guy – turning up in his kitchen without warning. But he had seemed strangely tense, as if he didn't really know why Jack was there or what was going on. Well, he'd got the stuff so there was nothing else for him to do. He'd warn Ramon though. Perhaps he was in the pocket of the Rodriguez Cartel. Jack started the engine and set off, planning to take a similarly circuitous route back.

---------------------------------------------

Carlos and his men set themselves up just half a mile from Ramon's ranch. It didn't matter which route Jack took on his return. He had to pass them. Their car was hidden and they crouched with rifles, just waiting for Jack.


	8. An ambush

Jack heard the shot and knew immediately that a bullet had taken out the front tyre. He ducked instinctively as he fought to bring the car under control. A second shot hit one of the tyres at the back and Jack braked, realising that he wasn't going to be able to drive through this ambush. He pulled his gun out of its holster, opened the car door and climbed out, using the door to shield his body. The heroin was left under the driver's seat. 'Too visible', Jack decided and he pulled it out and lodged it in the undercarriage of the car.

Looking above the door he could see two men with rifles walking towards the car. He looked behind him and saw another man coming towards him. A fourth approached the car from the side and he knew he was trapped. He hadn't fired a shot so he decided he should play innocent. He put his gun on the shelf by the steering wheel, and walked out from behind the door with his hands raised.

'Hey guys – what's this about? He shouted at the two walking towards him.

Turn around and put your hands on the car where I can see them. One of the men demanded, as he got close enough.

Jack turned and allowed himself to be frisked.

'He's clean'

'Cuff him' the first man ordered.

'What's this about?' Jack asked,' Are you police?'

Police? The man with the cuffs laughed. 'Er no, we're not the Police. You're a joker aren't you? Hands behind your back Bauer'

Jack put his hands together behind his back and felt the cuffs snap closed over his wrists, '

'How do you know my name?' He asked

The man put his hand on Jack's shoulder and forcibly swung Jack round to face him,

'We ask the questions Bauer. You give the answers.'

Jack found himself staring into the eyes of a man about six feet tall, heavily built with dark curly hair and a dark complexion. He looked Mexican but he spoke without an accent,

'Now, where's the stuff?' He asked

'What stuff?'

For a brief moment Jack thought his interrogator was going to speak again but then the man's rifle slammed into his stomach by way of reply. The force of the blow pushed Jack's back against the car providing him with enough support to stay upright.

Jack groaned in pain.

'If you don't give us the answers we want, Bauer, things are gonna get a lot worse for you. Search the car' his assailant ordered the other three men.

'I'll ask you again Bauer. I'd like you to save us some time by telling us where the stuff is hidden.'

'And I'll have to give you the same answer' Jack replied,

He grunted as the rifle butt connected with his stomach again and he doubled up, his face contorted with pain, struggling to breathe – and struggling to think.

The men knew who he was and they knew what they were expecting to find but Jack felt sure that he hadn't been followed. So they'd seen him leave and just waited for him to come back? That seemed a bit unlikely. They'd have had no idea how long he'd be away. If they were with the Rodriguez Cartel, they must have had a tip off from amongst Salazar's men. But if they had a mole, they wouldn't need to catch Jack to learn more about the Salazar operation...

Jack's thoughts were interrupted by a shout.

"Got it Carlos'

One of the men brought the bag of white powder over to Carlos and he held it in front of Jack's eyes.

'This is what we were looking for Jack' he explained sarcastically. 'Now where are you taking that?

'I bought it – for my own use'

The man who had found the bag pulled back the left sleeve of Jack's shirt.

'Hey, he really is a junky', he laughed pointing at the track marks on Jack's arm.

Carlos pointed his rifle at Jack's stomach.

'OK Jack, it's a bit hot out here for me, so we're gonna take you back to our place, show you some real Mexican hospitality. That OK with you?'

Jack just stared at him. His eyes were cold and disdainful. The knowledge of what was to come had removed the look of innocence he had been trying to convey. Now his training was kicking in. Now he would just stay silent.

'It's rude not to answer me Jack. Never mind, we'll be able to teach you some manners when we get back home. For now, let's see if you can follow orders. Turn around and face the car.'

Turn around and face the car' he repeated, 'Do it. Let's face it, you're are in no position to argue, Jack'

Jack turned around and waited for the inevitable blow to the back of the head, which would send him into unconsciousness. He didn't have to wait long.


	9. Just the beginning

Michelle knocked on the door of the conference room where Tony was briefing his programming team. She nodded at Kim and Chloe as she entered. Tony looked up at her face and he could tell immediately from her expression that she wasn't the bearer of good news.

'Tony. I'm sorry to interrupt but Gael says there is an update on the camera feed he was monitoring.' Michelle

Tony recognised that Michelle was being purposely cryptic, not wanting to alert the other people in the room to the content of the feed.

'OK, thanks Michelle. I'll be there as soon as I can'

'We'll be monitoring it in Tec 1' She said.

--------------------------------------------------------------

When she got back to Tec 1, she found Adam and Gael sitting at the table staring at the computer screen on the wall.

"We don't all need to watch this' she said.

'Yeah but - I don't think I'd be able to concentrate on anything else knowing what is happening' Gael said.

'No – fair enough' Michelle replied slowly, feeling instantly sickened yet mesmerised by the voyeuristic exercise.

'I take it that's Jack on the floor?' She asked, standing now behind Adam and Gael.

'Looks like we're about to find out' Gael replied as one of the men approached a prostrate handcuffed figure lying face down on the floor in a shadowy corner of the barn and, using his foot, rolled him over onto his back. Gael zoomed in on the image to confirm that it was Jack and they could see that his eyes were still closed. Michelle nodded to herself, finding that her question had been answered by the video link.

Another man emptied a glass of water over Jack's head and pulled him by the hair so that his head was raised from the floor. A fresh wound was visible on the right side of his head where his hair was matted with blood and Jack clearly winced as he was pulled up. Having apparently convinced himself that Jack was now fully conscious, the man pushed Jack's head back down on to the floor.

After about ten seconds, the man the CTU team had now recognised as Carlos Pando, leant forward towards Jack's head as if to pull him back up again. Jack flinched visibly, clearly wanting to avoid any further damage to his head. He appeared to shout something and then struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position with his back to the wall, listening to Pando as he talked. It seemed clear that Pando was going to be leading the interrogation.

Jack was concentrating on what was being said and Michelle could imagine him trying to work out who he'd been taken by and why. Then Carlos took a step back to let Jack stand up. At the same time, he beckoned slightly with his right hand and two of his men moved forward to stand either side of Jack's shoulders. Carlos had his back to the camera but he stood eye to eye with Jack Jack stared back coldly, no emotion evident in his face. He pursed his lips slightly as one of the men moved behind him to uncuff his hands. As soon as his hands were released, he kicked back at the man behind him sending him to the floor and swung a solid punch winding the man by his side. He was easily and immediately quietened though by the barrel of Carlos' gun, which he felt pressed to his forehead.

Carlo moved his head slightly to one side and a third man joined the other two to drag Jack across to a table in the centre of the barn. They pushed him into a seat next to the table and cuffed his right wrist to the chair while one of the men forced Jack's left hand out onto the table, palm facing down. Carlos took a seat opposite Jack, presumably asking him questions, which were being answered by an almost imperceptible shake of the head.

Tony entered the room just as the third man began to raise Jack's index finger,

'Shit' Tony said, as the finger was raised ever so slowly up to, and then beyond, the limits of its flexibility. The sound of the bone breaking was felt just as clearly in TEC 1 as it would have been heard in the barn. The CTU team could do no more than watch as Jack's expression moved from a quiet intensity as the nature of the torture was explained to him, to a snarl as the finger was stretched and then, finally, to an awful grimace as the bone snapped. Jack's eyes closed automatically as the pain washed over him. He opened them now and tipped his head back slightly, breathing deeply trying to regain control, seeming to be staring straight at the camera. Then he looked down at his misshapen finger and then up again at Carlos. He blinked slowly, listening again to what was probably a repetition of whatever question he'd been asked first.

Tony tipped his head back thoughtfully in a similar movement to Jack's and then addressed the others,

'Is this just the beginning?'

Michelle was standing with her hands pressed together, thumbs touching her lips, almost as if she were praying. Hearing Tony's question, she turned her head towards him and nodded.


	10. Ramon reflects

Ramon reached forward for his whisky after he'd seen Jack's finger broken.

'He's tough. I'll give him that' Ramon said, 'You think he's gonna break, Hector?

Hector screwed up his mouth and moved his head from side to side indicating his uncertainty, so Ramon continued,

'When I look at his face now, I'm thinking, maybe he's not going to break. I mean, he looks angry, doesn't he? Hey – I'd be angry if someone was breaking my fingers....' he smiled at his own joke, 'But he looks kinda hard too, doesn't he? Like he's gonna try to remember these guys and get his vengeance. Ha – who knows – I might let him'

Ramon chuckled as he imagined himself turning the tables on Carlos, and he took another swig of his drink and pointed at the screen trying to emphasize his point. 'You see, I don't understand him, Hector, that's my problem. He's supposed to be just a mercenary but sometimes he seems – I don't know - too committed to our operation. I mean that's what I want of course. Don't get me wrong. But why _is_ he so committed? With some of the others I know it's just fear. And, hey. I think Jack's a bit frightened of me sometimes. I've seen him scared - but – well - not like the other guys. So it's not fear that keeps him loyal. He needs the drug, of course – but he was paying for that before he came to us. There's plenty of people will pay a man like Jack good money to do their dirty work.'

'Maybe he's just that kind of guy' Hector said, somewhat bored by his brother's attempts to analyse Jack. 'I wish we had audio for this' He added, nodding at the screen.

Carlos was moving onto Jack's middle finger now, having spent a minute or two manipulating the broken one. Jack's eyes were screwed up in pain but he still held Carlos' stare as the man at his side began to wrench his middle finger away from his hand.

'Yeah,' Ramon continued, ignoring his brother's comment about the audio, 'Maybe he is. Just that kinda guy. Maybe this is like a home from home for him. He was just an army guy right – until the drugs thing, and that life suited him. Maybe he sees something of that life here. Promotion for good work and loyalty- and really good pay of course – better than he's ever seen before – and the bonuses are good for Jack– a fix whenever he needs it.'

Jack flung his head back as the second finger snapped, his mouth open and his eyes wide with the horror of the pain.

'Now we definitely need sound' Hector complained. We don't even know if he's screaming

'Well, we'll go across in a little while. You'll hear him then as we walk across the yard'

Claudia came into the room, having finally got Sergio to agree to go to bed.

'Hey – what are you guys watching?' She asked, moving towards the screen, which currently showed a close up of Carlos smiling as he moved Jack's broken fingers.

'Now that has got to hurt,' Hector observed.

'Oh Christ, you've got someone in the barn again. Is this just a game to you?' She addressed Hector, but he was too intent on watching so Ramon answered.

'I'm sorry Claudia, but it is not a game. This is a necessary test. You should not watch, of course. And try not to worry. It will be all over in less than an hour'.

There was a flurry of movement on the screen as Carlos decided to try a different tactic and Jack was moved and pulled over to the wall where manacles hung ready to receive his wrists. The movement on the screen attracted Claudia's attention and she looked at the image for a little longer.

'Tell me that's not Jack,' she said very quietly.


	11. The sadistic games they played

"Ramon. Hector. What is going on? Why would you be putting Jack through this? He does everything for you two. Didn't you have enough fun with him last week? What was that for then – that ridiculous scalding exercise? What information is he supposed to have now? Go over there and stop this now.'

Hector looked at her curiously. 'What's so special about Jack that he shouldn't have to take what we think he deserves?"

'You aren't God, Hector. You just think you are. Why does he deserve this?

She watched as one of the men used his knife to slice apart the front of Jack's shirt, leaving behind a bloody trail down his chest and stomach.

'Claudia.' Ramon said, watching the screen carefully, 'We're testing him. It's simple enough. I have already explained this to you. Be assured, if he comes through this test, I'll reward him highly.'

'Testing him? This is crazy. You tested him when you made him fix in front of you. You tested him when you took him with you to kill those men and he did that for you. You tested him by punishing him – worse than you would punish others for the same crime – just to see if he would take it. You tested him when you took him out as your bodyguard – and he saved your life. And then you do this to him? You're crazy'

'And you are out of line, Claudia', Ramon said calmly. 'This is no business for a woman. Of course you can't understand it. But it is necessary for Jack to earn my trust and this is the only way he can do it. Now you can be quiet and watch. Or you can leave.'

'Sit down Claudia' Hector indicated a space next to him on the sofa, 'And shut up about Jack – or maybe you think there is something special about Jack eh?'

Claudia decided then that she had to stay quiet. Hector's jealousy had led to a beating before. And she hadn't even touched Jack at that stage.

She stared at the screen as Carlos put the point of his knife just below Jack's rib cage and then slowly pushed it in deeper. Then he looked up at Jack's face with a cruel smile and turned the blade a quarter turn.

Jack couldn't hold Carlos' gaze. As the knife turned, he moved his head to the side, perhaps trying to muffle his own screams or perhaps unwilling to let his torturer see the pain etched on his face. Claudia swallowed and looked down at the floor. She couldn't watch this. Why did Jack stay here? She didn't really know. But she knew there was cruelty in him too, that a part of him understood the sadistic games they played. Sometimes, she hoped he stayed in Mexico for her. She knew only too well that his calm exterior hid an extraordinary passion but it also made her wonder how much else about Jack remained hidden.

'So how long is this test? Ramon,' she asked, speaking carefully so that her voice seemed calm and even. She wanted to sound simply inquisitive. 'Surely, if you let them go too far, Jack will be of no use to you for weeks.'

'Don't worry, Claudia. I will know when to stop it' Ramon said. But he looked at his watch anyway. It looked as if Carlos was becoming impatient with his lack of results and he was moving quicker now. Apparently unsatisfied with Jack's reaction to the knife wound, he had nodded to one of the men behind him. Answering the call, the man walked slowly up to Jack and brought down the butt of his gun across Jack's injured and manacled hand. This time there was an instantaneous reaction. Jack appeared to cry out in pain and then his head dropped forward slightly.

'Has he passed out? Hector asked his brother

But, unfortunately for Jack, he hadn't. Carlos pulled Jack's head up and looked into his eyes. He asked him another question and received a brief shake of the head in response. Carlos drove his fist angrily into the knife wound and Ramon stood up. He was starting to think that he had seen enough.


	12. Like a brother

Jack groaned as the fist connected with his stomach. He was struggling to think clearly now and the pain, which had come in waves at the beginning, was now relentless. But still, he didn't think that this was the work of the Rodriguez Cartel. That made no sense. They hadn't followed him. He was sure of that. And if these were Rodriguez's men, well – if he were honest, he didn't think they were serious enough in their interrogation. Even were he to suppose that they valued him so highly that they wanted him left healthy enough to work for them – even then, he might have expected more. The pain was still manageable. At this level, he could just about control his reactions. He had been pushed past that level before and he didn't doubt that these men had the tools to do it again. But they had chosen not to.

He had tried to provoke Carlos. He didn't want to suffer the consequences but it was important to know how far this man was prepared to go - how else to judge his intentions? Even when the pain was at its most intense, Jack had tried to rein in his reactions. He had struggled to hold Carlos' stare throughout the manipulation of his fingers; an effort that he knew now had taken its toll on his strength. But the violence hadn't really escalated. Jack's experience told him this was odd. If Carlos were deadly serious, Jack thought, he would surely have broken his hand, his arm – he would have wanted to show his prisoner what he was capable of. But he hadn't. Carlos was calm – too calm – as if at some level, he didn't feel personally involved in the interrogation. And, yes, Jack had been frightened again when he was fastened to the wall, frightened by not knowing what he could expect next, but he did not think he was in the hands of desperate men. He didn't doubt that they were sadistic men, but he didn't think of them as desperate men; not men whose jobs and lives might depend on breaking their prisoner.

And they seemed to know too much about him too. When his shirt was torn open, he had heard a remark along the lines of 'looks like someone got here before us' as the scars from his previous interrogation were revealed. And Carlos had seemed to say. 'Yeah I heard about that'. From who? Jack thought. And he thought he knew then that only Ramon or Hector could be behind this.

Or Claudia. She knew his body well. Could she have fed information to another Cartel? Would she betray him? Maybe she would. But in sleeping with him, she had surely put her life on the line just as much as he...

Jack's thoughts were interrupted as he heard Carlos ask, 'How does this feel Jack? Does this make you want to talk to us?' And he knew that it was time to stop thinking; time again to channel his energies into endurance and survival.

The blade of the knife was cold and sharp as it scratched at the surface of his skin. Jack glared at Carlos who stood poised and ready to strike, enjoying the look of apprehension that he saw reflected in Jack's eyes. Jack was determined to ride out this pain as he had before; and he took a deep breath to prepare himself. And then he felt the blade as it went deeper. He felt the blood spill out and run down his skin. He was breathing noisily and he knew he could do nothing now but wait for the blade to rotate, wishing that unconsciousness might save him from the agony of that turn, but knowing that his endurance was too high for that to happen just yet.

And his torturer kept him waiting, understanding the torment of expectation, making sure that all of Jack's nerves were alive to experience what he was going to inflict. Then he turned the blade and Jack could think of nothing but the pain and he found that he couldn't completely stifle a noisy gasp.

And then the door of the barn opened. Jack saw Ramon and Hector enter and he knew immediately that this had been another of Ramon's tests. He felt sick to think that this had been no more than another of the brothers' sadistic games. The sickness heightened his pain and fuelled his anger. He groaned and spoke angrily. His voice was hoarse and rasping.

'Get me down now Ramon. I want no more to do with you'

Ramon walked up to Jack and stood in front of him, looking first at his hand, and then at the cuts on his body and then into his eyes,

'Please Jack. Don't think badly of me now. You know how I reward loyalty and you have shown it to me Jack. No more tests. I promise Jack. Now you will be like a brother to us.'


	13. Nothing but tenderness

Carlos released Jack's wrists and Jack looked at his useless left hand. His fingers were splayed out at unnatural angles, there was blood across his knuckles and the pain that throbbed through the nerves in his arm was making him nauseous. He used his right hand to nurse his left arm and he took a step back to lean against the wall. The sudden cessation of violence had left him trembling slightly as the energy he had channelled into endurance now ebbed away. He felt exhausted, both psychologically and physically. But most of all, he felt angry; and his anger scared him.

It was natural, of course, that Jack should hate Ramon for what he had suffered. And Ramon would expect that. But the real Jack Bauer now hated Ramon Salazar with a vengeance that he knew he needed to control. He had sacrificed so much for this man and still he couldn't win his trust. Jack's eyes betrayed his rage and Ramon smiled at him, letting his eyes wander over Jack's injuries before speaking,

'Would you feel better if I let you hurt Carlos now?' He offered

Jack looked across at Carlos who looked startled by the suggestion. Jack turned back, shaking his head. He blinked and grimaced slightly as a new wave of pain emanated from his fingers and then he raised his eyes to stare directly at Ramon.

'It's you I want to kill right now' he growled in reply, immediately hoping he hadn't gone too far by revealing this truth.

He knew he needed to control himself before he lost any gains he may have made by enduring Ramon's test. He doubted if he could kill Ramon now anyway – even in a one on one fight, he would be severely handicapped by his injuries and Ramon was a handy fighter - his brutality often making up for his lack of technical expertise. Jack was weakened and frustrated by his physical condition; whereas Ramon, he could see, was in a good mood; feeling empowered by what he saw as a well-executed plan – with the perfect outcome – an employee he could trust. Jack knew he had said enough. A degree of bitterness would be expected and temporarily tolerated, but a repeated threat of vengeance might once again tip Ramon over the edge. Jack had to allow Ramon and Hector to take control if this test was going to work in his favour.

'Of course you do, Jack. Of course you do" Ramon replied, and he grinned and put his hand on Jack's shoulder in a show of understanding. Jack winced. Even the slightest movement seemed to aggravate the pain in his hand.

Jack looked at Ramon, his eyes softening now as he accepted what he had to do.

'Can I get my hand sorted, Ramon?' Jack asked quietly.

Ramon seemed delighted with the question and immediately turned to his brother,

'Have Claudia call the doctor over, Hector. Let's put Jack back together again – and get the man a drink. Come on Jack, you deserve to enjoy yourself this evening.'

Jack smiled weakly through the pain and allowed himself to be guided out of the barn by Ramon, who now had his arm around Jack's shoulders, careful to avoid the blood that was smeared across his torn clothing.

When they entered the kitchen of the ranch, Ramon indicated a stool for Jack to sit on, while he went to the fridge and pulled out three beers.

'The doctor will be here any minute' Claudia told him as he sat down. Jack nodded silently by way of reply and leant forward with both arms on the table. He rested his head on his right hand and closed his eyes, listening to his own breathing, wanting to transport himself into a peaceful place where he could recover without having to think about what the Salazar brothers had planned for him next.

Claudia looked at Ramon and Hector and asked,

'He's in a bad way and he's still bleeding. Do you want me to clean him up?'

'I suppose you might as well get started while we wait for the doctor' Ramon replied, taking the tops off the beers and handing one to his brother.

Hector took the beer. He didn't look interested in Jack's condition but he nodded his agreement anyway. Claudia turned back to the sink to find what she needed and Ramon put Jack's beer down in front of him. Jack looked up and nodded his thanks. He wasn't sure he could trust himself to speak to Ramon at the moment but he put the bottle to his lips and took a grateful swig, surprising himself by enjoying the feel of the liquid as it went down his throat,

Claudia started on the wound on his head, needing a lot of water before she could distinguish the cut from the dried blood matted in his hair. He winced occasionally as she rubbed too hard on the grazed and bruised skin which surrounded the cut The wound was still open so she placed some gauze against it to soak up the blood as it seeped out. She looked at the wounds on his chest and stomach.

'He'll have to take his shirt off and lie down for me to clean the rest of him,' she stated.

'We can all go in the other room' Hector said. Jack stood up using the table to support him and pulled off what was left of his shirt. Claudia took it from him, her eyes seeming to burn into his, and tossed it into the bin. He held his left hand close to his body and walked a little unsteadily into the adjoining room, carrying the beer which Ramon had given him. Claudia pointed at the sofa and he put the beer on the table and lay down, trying in vain to find a comfortable position for his hand, and noticing at once a television now showing a still and deserted barn. He turned his head away from the screen angrily imagining the pleasure the brothers would have derived from watching him suffer.

Claudia knelt down by his side and began to wash his body. The cuts were clean and she tried to avoid them and just wash away the blood that covered the surrounding areas. He realised quite soon that he was, despite the pain, aroused by the tenderness of her touch. He just hoped she would realise that it was this that caused him to complain gruffly,

'Leave me alone can't you? Don't you think I've been through enough?'

His outburst surprised Hector, who immediately stood up as if to protect Claudia. Claudia looked at Jack strangely but backed off. She looked into his eyes for an explanation and saw nothing but tenderness and desire. Her eyes travelled down his body and then back up to meet his eyes again. He nodded imperceptibly, sure now that she knew why he had spoken out.


	14. A hell of a lonely life

There was an audible sigh of relief in Tec 1, when Jack was cut down.

Tony's first action was to call Chase,

'Chase. It's Tony. It's over. Jack's fine' he shouted over the static, preferring not to give details of Jack's condition.

'Your mission is aborted. Return to CTU'

He heard Chase confirm the instruction and then he put down the phone and turned back to the screen. Michelle clicked a few buttons to get a better focus on the state of Jack's hand. She curled her lip as she saw the extent of the damage.

'Do we need a temporary pull-out to get this looked at Tony?' She asked, referring to the covert operations, which were occasionally carried out to provide support for undercover agents.

'We won't be able to do that.' Tony replied.'It's not a medical emergency and any interference would be obvious. We'll let them sort it'

'That might be painful then' Gael observed dryly, since experience had already shown them that the Salazars kept away from hospitals.

Tony nodded slowly. 'Yes. It might be. But that's one risk Jack was aware of before he went out there. He can handle it. The important thing now is the mission. It looks like we've got what we wanted from this, so things might start to move a bit quicker'

'We should hear from Jack tomorrow anyway' Michelle added, 'So we'll know more then'

They watched as Ramon guided Jack out of the barn. Tony turned to Gael,.

'Monitor the other rooms now Gael – just let me know if there's any more news. I'll be in my office.'

Tony walked thoughtfully back towards his office with Michelle.

'It's a hell of a job Jack's got out there' he observed quietly as they walked along the corridor, 'I know he's Field Ops and he knows the risks better than anyone. And - I mean – he might have got what he wanted now – but what a price to pay. And after this little victory, what's waiting for him? Just more pain, like Gael says. He can congratulate himself, of course, but – it's a lonely life isn't it? – A hell of a lonely life'

Michelle nodded. 'He works well in that situation though, doesn't he? Better than anyone. He knows that too – that's why he didn't protest when Chapelle suggested it. I think he's been changed over the years, damaged maybe, by what he's seen and done - and what people have done to him – and it's made him driven and focused in a way that alienates him from a lot of people but makes him perfect for undercover work....'

'...But yeah', she conceded, rubbing her bottom lip and emitting a small sigh as she imagined Jack nursing his injuries in Mexico, 'he must feel alone right now'


	15. Nothing’s too much trouble for Hector

Claudia moved away and Jack sat up as the doctor came into the room. He wasn't looking forward to this. The pain in his hand made him wince every time he moved and he figured that having the doctor reset his fingers would be pretty much as painful as the torture had been. He knew that this doctor didn't believe in painkillers and he didn't have a very steady hand. Jack had been called in to help hold down the last guy that was treated at the Salazar ranch. And, of course, it wouldn't be a private pain. Both Salazar brothers would expect to be entertained by this. The doctor nodded at the brothers and then at Claudia, before walking across to his patient.

'Looks like you're gonna need a few stitches' he said, pulling unsympathetically at the cut on Jack's head to assess the damage there and then prodding indelicately at the deeper of the wounds on his stomach.

'Trust me. I know that.' Jack said, the expected soreness of the doctor's initial ministrations giving an edge to his voice' But I'd like you to deal with this first' he said, nodding at his left hand. He had decided that it would be better to get the most painful part of the operation out of the way first. The doctor sucked air in through his teeth, apparently wishing to indicate that it looked like a difficult procedure.

'It's very sore' Jack added, deciding that it was worth stating the obvious in an effort to minimise the pain of the treatment.

The doctor didn't answer him, but instead looked round at Hector. 'I'm going to need some help with this' he said.

Claudia moved first but Hector shook his head and smiled at her as he stood up and approached Jack.

'Nothing's too much trouble for Hector' Jack thought bitterly as he realised that Hector's role would be to hold him still.

'Let's try it first without his help' Jack said looking at both Hector and the doctor - 'If you don't mind'. Hector shrugged and returned to his seat while Jack leant forward and placed his injured hand on the table next to his beer. The effort involved in stifling an involuntary groan at the small movement brought beads of sweat to his forehead and, with a feeling of discomfiture, he realised that his attempt at courage might have been misplaced. He blinked away feelings of pain and indignity and called Hector over.

'No – I'm sorry. You're right I think. I will need Hector to hold my arm'

Jack hoped his pain tolerance would allow him to endure this operation in silence. He thought that he was more likely to manage it if he didn't have to concentrate simultaneously on keeping himself still. Hector came over immediately and pinned Jack's left wrist to the table. Ramon leaned forward for a better view and Claudia sat back in her chair looking apprehensive with her hands clasped to her mouth.

'How are you going to do it?' Ramon asked

'I'll just snap the fingers back into shape' the doctor said. Two of the fingers look to be broken in at least two different places – but this one is pretty straightforward.' He took Jack's discoloured and grazed ring finger in his fist and smiled, apparently pleased with his diagnosis and treatment plan.

Jack disguised his anxiety and looked at the doctor in much the same way as he had stared back at Carlos earlier. He knew that Ramon was extending the preliminary discussion in order to intimidate him and he wanted to show them that it wasn't working.

'Are you two ready?' the doctor asked Jack and Hector together. They both nodded, and Jack felt additional pressure on his wrist as Hector anticipated the inevitable flinch. The doctor placed his left hand tightly around Jack's hand and then used his right to sharply manipulate the finger into its original position. Jack's breath came in short gasps and multiple beads of sweat were visible on his brow. He closed his eyes as the worst of the pain subsided and then opened them again, preparing himself for the next onslaught.

The next two fingers took longer to manoeuvre but Jack had a measure of the pain and he found he could get through it. Finally, the doctor released Hector from his duties and took Jack's hand in his own to feel for broken bones in the hand. The bruising made this process more difficult to bear than Jack had expected but he was pleased to hear that the hand was functional. The doctor bound the hand and fingers tightly and then moved on to stitch the cuts. Jack jokingly asked for anaesthetic and Ramon obliged by passing him a bottle of Tequila, which he accepted willingly. He hoped it might just dull the throbbing from his hand and help him to get through the stitching and the night ahead. He knew that Ramon would be expecting to party to celebrate the end of such an interesting day – and that he would be the guest of honour.


	16. sonovabitch

Gael rang Tony to tell him that they'd brought the Doctor in to see to Jack. He hadn't picked up Jack on camera for more than a few seconds since he'd been treated so he couldn't answer Tony's only question about how he had looked. He replaced the phone in the receiver and looked around at the three screens. He noticed that he had Jack on the screen to his right now but he was stretched out shirtless on his bed and seemed to be sleeping. He looked battered but peaceful enough. The other two screens showed empty rooms.

A buzz of static alerted him to movement in the kitchen, where Jack had managed to install only an audio feed. He quickly switched the button to record. And, deciding there was no reason to alert Tony immediately, he bent his head to concentrate on what Hector was saying.

'So – are you happy now?' Hector asked

'Yes. I am happy now' Ramon replied, pronouncing each word carefully. He paused, before replying further. 'From now on, we treat him like a brother, Hector – let him know that he's important to us. We'll show him that we recognise that he's better than the rest.' He sighed, obviously contented with the way the events of the day had played out, 'He's going to take us to the top of our game, Hector. Right to the top.'

"We can celebrate tonight' Hector said, apparently feeling equally satisfied with the day so far. 'You're not gonna let him sleep all night are you?'

'Not for too long, Hector. But he deserves a bit of rest now, I think...' He hesitated, 'Anyway – if you're OK with it, I've got another surprise lined up for him later so he'll need his energy'

'Yore not planning to hurt him again surely?' Hector asked, sounding, Gael thought, just for once as if he didn't think that would be such a good idea

'Not much' Ramon replied. 'I thought maybe something like this...'There was a silence and Gael strained to hear what was happening. Certainly nothing was being said. And then he heard Hector's voice again,

'Ha' Hector laughed, 'yes, it's an excellent idea Ramon. It'll be a reward that actually means something. Will the other men be OK with it do you think?'

'I think so. They already respected him. They've seen what he's capable of - he's a born leader and he's been trained well. And after today...' Gael could imagine Ramon nodding towards the barn, 'Well – there's not many of them could take that. And they know it.' He laughed again, 'You won't see them lining up to go through the same – just to prove their loyalty to us. No, Jack's the best. I'm gonna let him sleep for another hour or two then we'll get the party started'

The voices faded away as the brothers moved out of the kitchen and Gael lifted the phone to call Tony. As he raised his head, he glanced up at the room where Jack had been sleeping and was shocked by what he saw.

'Tony, I think you'd better get back here now. Don't call the others in yet'

By the time Tony arrived in the room, Jack was sitting on the bed facing the camera. His bandaged hand lay inert on the bed next to him. But his right hand encircled the waist of a clearly topless Claudia who stood between his legs stroking jack's shoulders and neck.

Tony looked at Gael, one eyebrow raised.

'Hector's wife.' Gael confirmed, answering the unasked question.

'Sonovabitch, Jack' Tony responded and clasped his head with both hands,

'Sonovabitch' he repeated, shaking his head as if to rid himself of the image in front of him. 'He's gone through so much out there. What the hell does he think he's doing with her? He'll get them both killed'

Claudia leaned forward towards Jack's lips and Tony saw Jack frown and glance up in the direction of the tiny security camera. Jack pulled Claudia closer to him bringing his left arm off the bed to hold her securely against him. His right hand slipped lower onto her jeans and he stood up lifting her off the ground. She gripped his hips tightly with her thighs and he carried her out of sight of the camera.


	17. Claudia

Claudia leant over Jack's sleeping form and woke him a kiss. Jack was at first surprised and then immediately concerned. By mutual agreement they kept away from each other when Ramon and Hector were at home and today was definitely not a good day to try anything new.

'Claudia. Why are you here? He asked, pain from his hand making him wince as he spoke.

'It's dangerous for you' he added more softly, feeling that his question had sounded like a rebuke; his injuries giving his voice a harshness that he hadn't intended

Claudia looked at him. She looked into his eyes and she could see concern, but she knew he thought she was foolish to come to him. Her hands still rested lightly on his naked chest. She didn't care what he thought. She wanted to be there.

'I was worried about you Jack,' she said quietly and then, with more urgency, 'you shouldn't stay with them Jack. They're getting worse. You know they are. Each time their punishments are getting worse. You're too good at what you do and they don't trust you.'

'And I don't think they ever will,' she added, sadly.

Jack couldn't keep eye contact. He looked away. Of course she was right. But she didn't know that he couldn't just walk away. There was more at stake than that. And he couldn't tell her because, frankly, he couldn't trust her.

'I think I've eared their trust today' Jack said quietly, sitting up on the bed now and looking down at his bandaged hand. He swung his legs off the bed so that he was sitting facing Claudia.

'Oh yes, you've earned it Jack' she said bitterly, looking at his hand and his torso – 'and right now you might even have it – but for how long do you think?'

Jack took a deep breath, 'Claudia. I'll do what it takes to prove myself to Hector and his brother. They pay me well and I'll serve them well - for now.'

He wondered whether he should have added that – 'for now'. He felt uncomfortable when he got closer to revealing the truth. He worried that he might not be able to stop himself telling her everything.

'For now?' She asked

'Well nothing's forever, is it?' he said, obliquely, looking down, 'But this is the right thing for me to do now. They need me and I need them. It's a mutual arrangement.'

'You need the drug you don't need them,' Claudia corrected him.

'It's one and the same for me'. Jack said

'But it doesn't have to be Jack, get off the drug and then you can leave...with me'

Jack looked into her eyes and then looked away again. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to be free of the drug and he wanted to take her away from Hector but he couldn't explain his position. What could he say – that he liked her a lot - that he needed the sex ...Ultimately, he was ashamed to admit that he was using her. Professionally, having an affair with Claudia was a dangerous strategy but he had legitimised it in his mind because it got him closer to privileged information. Personally, he knew the affair helped keep him sane. It kept him in touch with his real feelings; gave him something he could genuinely look forward to and enjoy. And somehow he felt that she could see the goodness in him despite the evidence of so many of his actions. But he couldn't say any of these things to her so he did what he had done the first time she ever suggested that he could take her away from Hector. He kissed her.

And the kiss, as ever, was passionate and real. He didn't think he loved her. He doubted if she loved him. Perhaps she saw him as someone who could protect her, who could help her escape. But they were attracted to each other, and had been from the very first day. He had walked past her and then looked back immediately- and he saw that she was watching him too, her eyes smouldering. Nevertheless, he had assumed that he would never get to touch her and he had been surprised when she had approached him the first time Hector and Ramon had left the ranch together.

Claudia returned the kiss and then broke away from him and pulled her t-shirt over her head.

'Claudia. We can't. Not now.' Jack couldn't disguise the fear in his voice. The consequences of being caught were too huge to contemplate. They would both be killed. And everything he'd done in Mexico, everything he had suffered would be for nothing. He put his hands gently on her waist and appealed to her again.

'Claudia. Please – not now'

'Don't talk about them, Jack' she replied 'I just want to forget them. Just for a minute or two Just touch me Jack' she said breathlessly.

He looked at her breasts and then at her face again. She wanted to lose herself in a moment of passion and he knew that he wanted that too; and at that moment he felt his need for her as powerfully as he sometimes needed a fix. And he drew her to him and kissed her again, this time more urgently, pressing his mouth against hers and tasting her desire. Remembering the camera, he ran his hands down her body and lifted her up. He pulled her body tightly against his and carried her across the room, pressing her powerfully against the wall. He knew what she wanted. And right now it was what he wanted too.


End file.
